Burgundy

This gallery contains my pictures of Beaune, Chalon Sur Saone, Chateau de Marguerite in Coaches, and Dijon and my travels through the Burgundy region on a Canal boat.

Burgundy or Bourgogne is know for its superb wines and its medieval and renaissance era buildings.

Beaune is known for it’s fine wine in the burgundy region. We visited the Hotel-Diew des Hospices de Beaune, which is a charity hospital started in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins. It is truly amazing in that it looks like a fortress from the outside and looks the opposite on the inside. The door knocker is over 500 years old. The Flemish roof with it’s multicolor glazed tiles looks absolutely fantastic. This hospital pioneered some innovative ideas of how to treat patents for it’s time. First it practiced cleanliness; the floors were washed at least once a day. Also there were only two patents per bed, as opposed to the 5 or 6 that usually occupied a single hospital bed. The hospital also houses the Polyptych of the Last Judgment from 1443, which depicts the last judgment with the naked dead being judged and welcomed into heaven or condemned to hell. It’s 3 sections are open for display and worth a look.

Chalon Sur Saone in on the Saône river and is best known as the birthplace of photography.

Chateau de Marguerite in Coaches is a small estate with a castle know for its miracle tapestry and fine wine.

Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy and has large number of buildings dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries. Its church of Notre Dame is famous for both its art and architecture. One of its stone relief sculptures, an owl will give you good luck if touched and its gargoyles are caricature of notable citizens when the church was built.